What to do with Mountain Laurel

BUSHKILL — Mountain Laurel Center for The Performing Arts has too-well lived up to its “nonprofit” billing, so last week its board of directors faced facts and disbanded. Pennsylvania taxpayers and private contributors are now left holding the bag for some $20 million. In desperation, the ill-fated project was sold for $14.9 million less than was spent buying the 675 acres of land and building on it. The for-profit Mountain Laurel Development Group bought the project and land for $17 million by paying off $15 million of the Pike County Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation bonds in 2006, and other smaller loans. A local tax-supported operating subsiding of nearly $3 million also went down the drain in the last three years. Before dissolving itself, the Center’s board of directors released the new owner — Wolfington Company — from its lease, thus giving the housing developer full use of the center’s grounds and pavilion. Meanwhile, Wolfington executives have contacted entrepreneur Richard Berkowitz of Smithfield Township, in Monroe County who’s persistent advice to the former board on how to run the center was rejected for the past three years. This week Berkowitz, who revived the Sherman Theater into a thriving downtown Stroudsburg cultural site, said he will meet with Wolfington executives soon. Berkowitz said there was no firm arrangement for his help running the center, but he was willing to listen the Wolfington people. Wolfington planned to build a complete village-type development, to be called Highland Village, on the 2,500 acres surrounding the center. The final bell tolled for Mountain Laurel two weeks ago when the Pike Courier first reported the Pocono Mountain Vacation Bureau would cease its $1 million a year subsidy. The subsidy was funded by bed taxes from Pocono area counties. The center never really worked, and it was wildly over-hyped. For instance, in the first three years Mountain Laurel held 25 total performances, while 325 were anticipated. Initial projections said the center would create 4,000 jobs, but actually only a few summer jobs resulted. The anticipated $40 million income from ticket sales in the first three years was off by 98 percent. Ticket sales in the first three years amounted to just $1 million or $39 million less than ballyhooed. The Wolfington Corporation hopes Mountain Laurel, a centerpiece in its plans to sell more the 5,000 homes, will be reborn like the mythical phoenix bird, from the misadventures of the recent past.